Mkhize said Madonsela had expected Cele to make
submissions responding to preliminary findings against him which were not
backed up by evidence.

"He was told by the public protector herself that
there was not a single document in front [of her]... that implicated him. It
was mind-boggling that [she] was saying there was no evidence and yet she had
made this finding."

Preliminary report

Cele met Madonsela on 16 January and was expecting the
documents to be there. His lawyers had asked Madonsela to make available police
documents and correspondence relating to the Nkandla project, to enable him to
give a proper reply.

The Mail & Guardian reported in November that
Madonsela had found in her preliminary report that Zuma had misled Parliament
and had benefited substantially from the R206m upgrade to his homestead.

An inter-ministerial task team report on the Nkandla
expenditure was released in December, after it was declassified, confirming
that a total of R206 420 644 was spent on the upgrade.

Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi, who initially
classified the report, said at its release that allegations that Zuma had used
state resources to build and upgrade the residence were unfounded.

ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said earlier that if
Madonsela released her final report close to the elections it would indicate an
intention to "muddy the waters in the election campaign".

The report's release date was expected to be announced
around 9 February.

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